Brazilian Attorney General Raquel Dodge has said the state of Rio de Janeiro lives in a climate of “land without law”.

The Attorney General’s assertion came after the regional Legislative Assembly decided to release three of its deputies who were imprisoned on suspicion of corruption, a decision annulled on Tuesday by an appellate court, Efe news reported.

Dodge made the statement on Tuesday when he entered the Supreme Court to revoke the decision made by the Rio legislature on November 17 to free three state deputies accused of corruption, conspiracy, money laundering and evasion.

“The simple fact that the Legislative Assembly of Rio de Janeiro, by a large majority, ignored the factual framework of common crimes described, indicates the anomaly and exceptionality of the institutional body experienced at this time and demands the immediate and firm response of the Supreme Court,” Dodge said.

Jorge Picciani, President of the Legislative Assembly and father of current Transport Minister Leonardo Picciani, Paulo Melo and Edson Albertassi are the three deputies, who had been imprisoned under suspicion of serious corruption and who were released one day later thanks to their colleagues in the assembly.

The Rio de Janeiro Legislative Assembly’s resolution “is an eloquent proof of the lawless land climate that dominates that state” in addition to illegally violating a judicial decision and disrespecting the principle of separation of powers, Dodge said.

The appellate court on Tuesday ordered the re-imprisonment of the three deputies, who are members of the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB) led by Brazilian President Michel Temer.